Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 27-24@ Florida State | 4 | 71 | 17.8 | 1 | 50 | Season-high 71 yds |
| Wk 2 | W 56-10vs UC Davis | 1 | 42 | 42.0 | 0 | 42 | |
| Total | 5 | 113 | 29.9 | 1 | 50 |
#10
Jalen Cooper
Jalen Cooper keeps submitting exhibits like No.154 4★, national recruit, and the SMU fanbase keeps asking for one more week.
6′2″ · 180 lb · Cibolo, TX
Returning to SMU for 2026
The numbers
113
receiving yards · 2026
5 catches · 1 TD · 22.6 per catch
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 4 rec, 71 yds, 1 TD, at Florida State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 wide receiver for SMU. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to SMU in 2025.
Jalen Cooper
On Trialas of 2026-09-15
Jalen Cooper is on trial in SMU's fan jury — the eye test against the résumé.
113REC YDS5REC1REC TD
4★ · NATIONAL RECRUIT
No.154
recruiting national rank
SMU fans keep putting his case on trial, week to week.
medium confidence6 sources
Minority viewA vocal minority sees it the other way.
Read the story so far
AI-generated narrative · may contain errors · not journalism · updated 2026-09-15
His career
20257 games
- Signed with SMU4-star out of Cibolo Steele
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
SMU
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Rhett Lashlee — 11-4 over that span.
2025SMU9-4HC: Rhett Lashlee · Balanced
2026SMU2-0HC: Rhett Lashlee · Pass-leaning, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the WR cohort
Box-score percentiles
Elite: yards / catch (98th percentile). Concern: receptions (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (6)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 2.5 REC/g, 56.5 YDS/g, 29.9 YPR, 0.5 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Rhett Lashlee
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 27–24
4 rec · 71 yds · 1 TD
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 3 on the road.
With K. Jennings — 430 yds · 3 TD · 2 INT · QBR 95.6 · 33 rush yds (5 car) · D. Green — 43 rush yds (13 car)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Moves the chains on third down.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
SMU
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Wide receiver · SMU
Returning around him
- 57% of 2024 offensive production back (Solid continuity)
- 1 SMU player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -11 net (15 in / 26 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
SMU · Last season: 9-4 (AP #25) · Talent rank #31 · 2026 recruiting class #32
DNA match
Player DNA
Possession Receiver
Reliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive.
WR
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Teddy Hoffmann’s 2025 season.
80%match
Matches Teddy on
Total EPA (college ability)
Yards / reception
Reception volume
Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Julius Young’s path through Lafayette.
Julius Young
97%match
#4
Kyndon Fuselier
95%
Matches Julius on
Yards per reception
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Teddy Hoffmann's freshman season at NC State (2025).
83%match
Matches Teddy on
Total EPA (college ability)
Yards / reception
Weight
Player DNA
Players who play like Jalen Cooper
The receiver room · SMU
- #8Yamir Knight637 receiving yards · 2025
- #3Yannick Smith583 receiving yards · 2025
- #10Jalen Cooper321 receiving yards · 2025
- Derrick McFall160 receiving yards · 2025
- #11Carterrious Brown25 receiving yards · 2025
9 more on the roster · SMU team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology